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by AsLostAsAliceAsMadAsTheHatter
Summary: Regina finds her happy ending after she casts the curse. She realizes her mistake, and goes to confront her true love. But due to her choices, they can't be together until the curse breaks. Can their love endure thirty years of separation? AU NO LILY
1. The Curse Brings Realizations

Regina knew that what she was doing was dangerous. If someone saw her they'd ask questions, and then how was she supposed to keep her secret? But she had to see her, she'd only been here for a day and it was already driving her crazy. She regretted her choices, especially the one that led her to her current predicament.

The elevator was a two-man job, designed that way specifically so that no one would be able to find her. But it was the elevator that caused her problem. She was only one woman, and with no magic she couldn't run the elevator once she was inside. It definitely wasn't one of her better ideas. Deciding to leave it be, she exited the library, making sure to lock it back up, and drove across town to the mining shafts.

A genius always had a back-up plan, hers was just a little more complicated than she'd care for it to be. Grabbing a flashlight, she trudged across the empty space until she reached the boarded up entrance of the tunnel. With a few firm pulls and tugs she had a big enough entrance for herself, and she slipped inside. She let instinct guide her, as she had no clue where the chamber was. After a dizzying series of twists, turns, and a few dead ends, she found herself in a large underground cave. And there, curled in the middle sleeping, was her goal.

She crept up to the slumbering beast quietly, unwilling to startle her lest she get roasted. She laid a hand on the dragon's side lightly, beginning to stroke the hide as she remembered the woman liked. A low growl was heard, and when she looked up she was met with the extremely furious gaze of a very large dragon. A dragon who was calling up fire if the red glow blossoming in her chest was any indication. Gulping, the brunette held up her hands where the beast could see them and began to slowly back away.

Fire volleyed over her head and she yelped, diving behind the closest cover, which just so happened to be Snow White's coffin. The next blast hit it, liquefying the glass, and she cursed that irony that the vessel meant to end a life had saved hers. She rolled behind a stone pillar as the next blast scorched the ground she had been crouching on.

"Maleficent! Cut it out!" Regina screamed as fire slipped around the edges of the rock she was hiding behind. Her answer was a roar, and she knew she'd have a hard time explaining that to anyone who heard it. "I'm sorry! I was wrong!" she screamed, waiting to be burned to death.

The fire never came, instead when she opened her eyes she was met with a large green orb staring directly at her. She sighed, relieved to still be alive. She knew that under normal circumstances Maleficent would rather take a sword to the chest than harm her, but she did just curse her to eternity as a large scaly reptile. She reached out a hand to touch the dragon's snout, but she drew back and Regina tried not to show the hurt the gesture caused on her face. Maleficent growled as if to say "Get on with it".

"I shouldn't have trapped you as a dragon. I realized the second I did it how wrong I was, but I couldn't have you here, not as a human." The dragon cocked her head, obviously confused. "You are my weakness...because I love you."

Understanding, hurt, and longing shone from the reptile's eyes, and tears glistened in Regina's own. They had discussed love many times over the years, both agreeing it was a weakness not worth the pain it brought. But Maleficent had gotten a pet, learned to love again, and it was that weakness that landed them in their current predicament. If only she hadn't gone soft Regina never would have gotten the curse, because they both knew that no matter how black her heart became she would never intentionally hurt the sorceress.

Maleficent moved closer, allowing the ex-Queen to lay a hand on her snout. Regina sobbed at the touch, missing the feel of warm flesh beneath her fingertips. She launched herself forward, wrapping her arms around the dragon's face. Maleficent didn't move, keenly feeling the pain the other woman radiated. She allowed her to wet her nose with her tears, a few of her own sliding down to the ground.

"You were right, you know," the brunette whispered when she had regained control. "I feel so empty, and I've only been here a day."

And to be honest, she wasn't sure if the emptiness was because of the curse or because she had trapped her love as a dragon.

She slept there that night, wrapped securely in her love's front legs, warmed by the dragon fire beneath the scales.

* * *

She continued to visit Maleficent, the desire to be with her too strong to ignore. She couldn't go every day, and on the nights spent apart she tossed and turned fitfully, unable to sleep for more than a few minutes at a time. And if the townspeople ever felt small earthquakes as a certain dragon paced restlessly around her cave, they never mentioned them. She tried to visit at least twice a week, more if she could slip away. She spent her time with the dragon describing the new world they inhabited, all the wonders there created without magic.

She spoke of her days running a town full of idiots, and Maleficent always listened, not that she could do much else. Regina of course knew what her days entailed. Sleeping, pacing and staring at the entrance waiting for the brunette to return. She felt a pang of guilt every time she descended into the bowels of the earth, but pushed it down so she could enjoy her time with the dragon.

* * *

Maleficent was getting restless. Regina hadn't come in several days, at least, she thought it was several days. It was hard to tell the passing of time not only because she was an animal, but because the cave was always submerged in darkness. She hadn't slept in a long while, that was how she tracked time's passage. She lay facing the small doorway Regina always entered through, hoping to see her, worry increasing when she didn't.

A sound caught her ears just as she strongly considered trying to fit through that doorway. It sounded like coughing, or something similar. Fire burned just beneath her skin as she waited for the visitor to emerge. The flames died abruptly when she saw Regina, looking pale and huddled in a black coat, come stumbling through the door. She gave a low growl, concern surging to the forefront of her mind.

The brunette struggled over to her, collapsing against her forelegs and erupting into a coughing fit. A sound akin to a whine escaped the dragon as she observed her love's pain. She wished more than ever she was human so she could properly cuddle the woman and take care of her.

"I'm sorry I'm late for our visit," Regina wheezed, congestion deepening and roughening her voice. "I wasn't feeling well, but I couldn't miss a whole week."

The growl the dragon gave was both concerned and disapproving. She was glad the woman had come to see her, but disappointed she had jeopardized her health to do so. She readjusted so that the brunette was cradled against her chest, the dragon fire coursing through her veins warming her. Even unnaturally warm as she was she could tell the ex-Queen was running a fever, and voiced her displeasure.

"I know you're upset with me, but I couldn't sleep, I needed to see you," Regina said.

Cuddled against the older woman she relaxed immediately and felt exhaustion swim over her. She was sleeping peacefully in minutes, and Maleficent took comfort in her soft snores. Though she herself was tired from her lack of sleep, and felt complete enough to rest now that her love was by her side, she remained awake, guarding the woman as if she were a treasure. It wasn't until she noticed a sheen of perspiration on the brunette's forehead and heard her breathing clear that she allowed herself to rest, head lying beside Regina's body.

* * *

The years came and went, and Regina continued visiting Maleficent weekly. Things continued on as they were, minute changes the only things hinting at the passage of time. The curse kept everyone in stasis, so no one aged. It was a quiet, calm life. Until one day it wasn't. A small baby, the first outsider to ever enter the town, was brought to his new mother, one Regina Mills.

Regina missed several meetings with Maleficent after she received her son. She was so nervous about being a good mother that all thoughts except how to take care of her child left her mind. The yearning for her love was still present, though it was dulled, soothed by the love for the tiny being she had adopted. She slept now, albeit restlessly, only because her son didn't yet have a regular sleeping schedule. She had someone to look after now, she couldn't just go running off to the mines whenever the fancy struck her. At least, that's what she told herself to stop the guilt from eating her alive.

Maleficent, for her part, grew worried beyond belief. Was Regina okay? Was she so sick she couldn't move? Had she been killed? These thoughts and more raced through her head as she faithfully waited for the visit that never seemed to come. Finally, after several weeks of isolation and loneliness, her resolve broke.

Despair overwhelmed her, her heart very nearly breaking as she thought she had been abandoned. She now kept her back to the cave's entrance, spending her time sleeping or staring listlessly into space. Her own mind began to drive her into depression, thoughts of Regina finding someone better, someone _human_, to love filling her subconscious in sleep and consciousness during waking hours. It grew to the point where she hardly slept, barely breathed. Her heart was slowly shriveling, cracking, shattering. She honestly considered throwing herself down the gorge that ran along one wall of the cave and not using her wings to save herself. What a relief that would be, to end the hell she was living. She'd finally be free and Regina could be happy with her new lover.

...

Regina woke with a start, unsure what had caused her to return to consciousness. It wasn't Henry, the baby monitor was silent. She considered the possibility of a nightmare, realizing she was covered in sweat with adrenaline still flooding her system. But she didn't remember the nightmare as she usually did, so she ruled that out. It was then she cried out and clutched her chest, her heart feeling as though it had just simultaneously burst into flames and been shredded into a thousand pieces.

She didn't know it, but it was at that precise moment that Maleficent completely gave up hope. It had been over five months since Regina's last visit, verging on six, and she could no longer believe she'd come back. Luckily for the pair, Maleficent decided to wait until the next morning to complete the deed, deciding to spend the last few hours of her life thinking about the woman she loved. Regina panted as the pain ended, another layer of sweat covering her body, the cries of an infant echoing through the mansion in response to her scream. But for the first time since she'd adopted him, she didn't go running to his side.

Instead, she recognized the pain as the sign it was, and stared blankly at the wall in front of her. Her hand absently rubbed over her heart, an emptiness settling there. She felt as though she'd lost something she could never hope to regain.

"Maleficent," she whispered, the full consequences of her actions resonating in her soul. She threw the covers back, rapidly stripping and redressing, before rushing into Henry's room to calm and dress him as well. "Shh," she cooed as she bundled him into his car seat, "shhh. We're going to meet someone very special, someone you should have met long ago."

She almost sped to the mines, almost. The only thing that stopped her was the baby in the backseat. She slid to a stop just outside the entrance, nearly ripping her seatbelt in frustration. She was considerably gentler with Henry's buckle, lifting him into her arms and supporting him. Switching on her flashlight, she began to familiar trek down to the cave.

Her son whimpered in the darkness and she shushed him, hoping she wouldn't have to deal with a meltdown in the middle of the earth. Finally hushing him, she emerged into the chamber, expecting to see the dragon staring intently at the entrance as she usually did. What she saw nearly made her drop the baby. Maleficent lay completely still, back facing Regina, and the woman couldn't make out any breathing. She rushed over to the dragon's still form, quickly locating the head.

She stood in front of Maleficent's face, directly in her line of vision as her eyes were open. Unlike her usual self, the dragon didn't look at her with love, instead continuing to stare right through her. Green eyes once filled with passion and emotion were now dull and lifeless, and that perhaps terrified her more than anything.

"Maleficent," she called, adjusting her hold on Henry so she could place her hand on the dragon's face. There was no indication of acknowledgement on Maleficent's part. "Maleficent," Regina called a little louder. Still no response. "Mal, so help me if you don't look at me this instant I will never speak to you again!" she screamed in frustration, successfully setting off the baby.

It wasn't Regina that caught the dragon's attention, as she was too absorbed in her memories to differentiate between memory and the real thing, but the wailing of a baby. There was no child in her memories, and so she came back to herself abruptly. Upon doing so she was greeted with the sight of an extremely concerned Regina and a wailing baby. The sight hurt her already broken heart further, and with a groan she turned her face away so she wouldn't have to witness the physical evidence of Regina's love for another person. Confused, Regina bounced Henry and studied the other woman before realizing what was wrong.

"You think he's mine? Is that what this is about? You think I left you for another man? Oh Maleficent, how could you think such a thing?"

She rounded the woman until she was once again in her line of sight.

"Maleficent, you listen and listen good. I will _never_ leave you. I love you so much that sometimes I don't get any work done at all because all I do is think of you and imagine a life we share. Henry is adopted. I found him in need of a mother and I was lonely without you so I took him in.

I haven't been to see you because he is a baby and I can't leave him alone. He's only six months old, Mal. I can barely stand to leave him with Granny while I work. I have a child now. _We_ have a child.

I have to take his best interests to heart. Perhaps when he's older I'll be able to see you regularly like old times, but until then I will see you when I can. I'm sorry my love, but that's the way it has to be."

Maleficent listened, her heart slowly mending at the brunette's words. Though she ached for the other woman's company, she understood her reasoning. Her child's, _their_ child if what Regina said was true, needs came first. She would always long for the brunette's company, but at least her heart hurt a little less knowing Regina would always come back to her.

"Would you like to see him?" Regina asked softly.

The dragon nodded, and so the ex-Queen, with tenderness Maleficent had only seen once, pulled back the blanket revealing a cranky little boy. He was beautiful. Brown hair, green eyes, skin just a few shades paler than Regina's. Maleficent loved him immediately. She gave a low growl that Regina understood to mean she was pleased.

"His name is Henry," she said, and didn't miss the recognition in her love's eyes. "Yes, after my father. If it would have been a girl I would have named her Mallory, after you. That way you would always be close to me."

The dragon nudged the woman's shoulder gently, happiness once again present in her eyes. Henry cooed, catching both their attention. He was looking right at Maleficent, and if dragons could smile she would have. A rumbling echoed out from her chest, the equivalent of a purr in Regina's opinion. The boy laughed, sending waves of pleasure throughout the two.

Regina yawned as she stood there, exhaustion catching up to her. Maleficent saddened, understanding her love was about to leave and it could very well be the last time she saw her for several years. She growled softly, and the brunette frowned, pain flashing in her eyes. She reached out, laying a hand on the dragon's face and slowly stroking what should be a cheek.

"I know, I don't want to leave either," she whispered.

They stared at one another for a few emotion filled seconds, their eyes communicating what they would never be able to put into words. The ex-Queen then leaned over and placed a kiss between the dragon's eyes, the first she had ever given her while in that form. A ripple of magic spread around them, and for a moment both dared to hope. Nothing happened, and both hung their heads. If true love couldn't break the curse, what could?

Regina then backed up, tears in her eyes, and strode out of the cave, desperately trying not to cry. A dragon's roar followed her out of the mines and to her car, filled with sadness and pain. To her credit, Regina didn't begin to sob until she had reached her mansion and put her son back to bed. It was then she felt her heart break, curled in her large bed alone, and so she cried until sleep took her to a place where there was no curse and Henry was their son and all was perfect.

* * *

Maleficent hadn't seen Regina in so long she had almost forgotten what the woman of the present looked like. The lines of her face were blurred, and she could no longer hear her voice. She was, not depressed exactly, but somewhere between sad and despaired. She was definitely lonely, but she managed that as best she could, thinking of random things to keep herself sane. Most of all she waited. Waited for Regina to come back to her as she'd promised.

Regina was going insane. Granted, it was an incredibly slow descent, but she could feel it. She had heard stories from the servants as a child of what being separated from your true love could do, and she had to admit they were completely correct. Her chest constantly ached, each heartbeat a dull throb, she was dizzy more often than not and it felt as though a part of her soul was missing. Henry was the only light in her life, and he was growing up so fast. He didn't, couldn't, replace Maleficent in her heart, but he did give her something to love.


	2. The Curse Breaks

The next time Regina and Maleficent met was on Henry's first day of school. He was five years old, hyper as ever, and determined to be a big boy and go in alone. Regina cried as she watched him make the short walk from her Mercedes to the school. He was growing up so fast, soon he wouldn't need her anymore. But soon another thought came to her.

_'He's growing up. That means I can visit Mal!'_ Regina thought, and it filled her heart with love and helped dull the sadness of her son growing up.

She made sure Henry was safely inside before turning her car around and driving toward the mines. Her entryway had diminished in the years without use, rocks having fallen across it, cobwebs covering it, but Regina didn't care. She pushed aside the rocks and cleared the cobwebs, barely slowing down even though she had no flashlight and was plunged into darkness upon entering. She began to run down the tunnels, mindful of her heels but uncaring of the darkness. She fell once, ignoring the sting of her scraped skin she continued on, desperate to get to her love now that she was so close.

She slid to a stop as she passed through the doorway. There was Maleficent, curled up asleep in the middle of the cave. It was darker than usual, not only because she'd forgotten her flashlight, but because of the early hour. Momentarily, she felt guilty for what she was about to do, but it passed as quickly as it came. There was not a shred of poise or regality in her movements as she ran across the cave and threw herself on top of the slumbering dragon, clinging to her scales as though she was the only thing keeping her from death. And in a way she was, as Regina had been spiraling into darkness and insanity the longer she was apart from the dragon.

Maleficent woke with a start, a weight colliding with her that didn't belong. Hazy with sleep, it took her a few moments to realize that the added weight wasn't a rock as she thought it had been, but a body, a body that smelled extremely familiar...She growled softly, questioningly.

"Mal," Regina all but sobbed in response, never once sliding off the reptile's back.

She felt a soft puff of air as the dragon exhaled, and knew she had shocked the woman. She soon felt a light pressure against her back and realized Maleficent was nuzzling her softly, as she would a mate. And why not? They only needed to mark the other for it to be official, but to do that the woman would need to be in her human form. She wished they could take that step, mark the other and let everyone know they were bonded, but until the curse was broken they couldn't.

She reached back and stroked the snout, eliciting another one of the almost-purrs from the sorceress. They simply existed for several minutes, perhaps hours, neither knew for sure, they only knew the happiness and completeness surging through their souls. When Regina finally slid off her love's back sometime later, the cave was considerably lighter than when she'd arrived.

"I've missed you, so much," Regina said, much calmer than she'd been in ages. Maleficent growled her agreement, and the brunette smiled. "Henry's getting so big. He's five now, and he started school this morning. He wouldn't even let me walk him in, insisted on being a big boy and going in by himself."

She teared up a bit, water glistening in her eyes and making the dragon sad as she realized how much the woman loved her son. It was hard to think of him as theirs since she'd only seen him once, and even then he was an infant. She knew how much she'd missed, and fervently wished she could've been there to help the brunette raise the boy. She was snapped out of her thoughts by the smell of blood.

She looked the woman over, concern pushing to the forefront of her mind. She saw the dark liquid on the knees of the brunette's pants as well as her palms, and nudged her gently to show she saw it. Regina chuckled quietly, having forgotten the sting until then.

"I was just in a hurry to see you, don't worry." But Maleficent was having none of that. With a gentle shove the ex-Queen found herself sitting on the ground looking up at the dragon. "What are you doing?"

She got her answer as the beast leaned over and dripped a single tear onto each of her cuts. They mended immediately, the pain dulling. The woman sighed, relieved that her minor discomfort had been eliminated. She had forgotten the depth of Maleficent's magic, forgotten it could be light or dark. The dragon was almost as old as time itself, of course she'd have a few tricks Regina had yet to see.

"Dragons' tears are magic, aren't they? I had forgotten the depth of your magic."

She wondered how the tears had worked since there was no magic in this world, but then she understood true love did perhaps accomplish some things, if not breaking the curse. Shaking herself free of the revelation that the dragon had at least some magic now, she stood and pulled out her phone.

"Look, I took this of Henry this morning," she said, turning the screen to the dragon.

They spent their remaining time together with Regina filling the dragon in on all the things she'd missed with their son, and they even took a short nap, the most sleep either had had in years.

Thus a pattern was set. A few days every week after Regina dropped Henry off at school, she'd drive over to the mines and spend a day with her love. Her dizziness faded, her chest and heart stopped hurting, and she regained a general glow of health she had been missing for several years. Everyone noticed how much happier she seemed to be and commented on it. As usual, she brushed them off, but inside she was glowing. Perhaps she and Maleficent had a chance after all.

* * *

Their pattern was once again disrupted too soon. Henry had just turned ten, and that infuriating Mary Margaret, aka Snow White, gave him the book. The one book in the entire universe that could unravel everything she had worked so hard for. That wouldn't be so bad. Maleficent could be human again, and they could be together. No, what was so horrible was that Henry believed, and he _knew_.

He knew who she really was, who she'd been, and what she had done. And he began to hate her. It was his hate that slowly began to destroy her. She had lost Daniel, her father, her innocence, and Maleficent, which had perhaps been the hardest of all, but she could "soldier on" as her love once put it with the knowledge she and Maleficent would eventually be together. But to have her own child hate her with such passion, it broke her in ways losing her true love hadn't.

She was lucky if he even spoke to her anymore, much less gave affection or spent time with her. So she retreated back to her Evil Queen personality. Harsh, ruthless, bitchy, all perfectly correct adjectives to describe her. But she was always open with her love. She'd retreat into the cave and curl up with the dragon and talk for hours.

And sometimes she would cry, something that would confuse the dragon, who had never seen her cry before. It was a new side to the woman she loved, and she accepted it along with everything else. They'd both changed after all, so who was she to judge? But when Regina ran to her one day and told her Henry had discovered her true identity and that he was pulling away, well, she could sense a change coming. The air vibrated with tension, like a taut rubber band about to snap.

Regina spent more and more of her time down in the cave, choosing to be with someone who loved her rather than hatred. Henry continued to distance himself, and began a secret search for his birth mother, having figured out she was the savior. Maleficent now paced her enclosure, worried for her family above. And then, one day, it happened. The rubber band snapped.

Regina woke up and Henry was gone. No one had seen him, not Mary Margaret, not Glass, no one. In desperation she ran to Maleficent, wondering if perhaps he had found his way to her. Her hope shattered when all she encountered was a slumbering dragon. Her sob woke the beast, who was at her side in an instant. She tearfully told her of their missing son, and a roar could be heard around town as the dragon grew angry and worried.

What puzzled them both was that it didn't appear he had been kidnapped. Actually, it looked more like he had...run away. The thought sent Regina into a new round of tears, and Maleficent could only wrap her in her forelegs for comfort. The ex-Queen sobbed there for what felt like ages, until finally, exhausted, she fell asleep.

* * *

Miles away, Henry was knocking on the door of his mother's apartment, one Emma Swan. He waited anxiously in the hallway, nervous not only because he had run away from home, but because it only then dawned on him that perhaps he was wrong. Maybe Emma didn't live there, or maybe he had the wrong woman all together. Or perhaps worst of all, maybe he had the right address but wouldn't be able to make her believe. He held his breath as the door opened.

The blonde looked around for a few seconds before addressing him.

"Um, can I help you?"

"Are you Emma Swan?" he asked.

She looked confused, but answered nonetheless.

"Yeah, who're you?"

"My name's Henry. I'm your son," he answered, ignoring her bewildered expression.

He pushed past her into the apartment, looking around as he did so.

"Hey! Where are your parents?!" Emma called from the door.

"Ten years ago, did you give up a baby for adoption ?" he countered, ignoring her question. She didn't answer. "That was me."

"...Gimme a minute," she said, locking herself in her bathroom.

She heard rummaging as she hyperventilated, followed by a question of juice and then a confirmation of finding it. She emerged to see him calmly drinking it at her counter.

"We should probably get going," the child said, much to her amazement.

What followed was perhaps the most bizarre conversation of her life. He insisted she accompany him home, pleaded even, and since she didn't particularly want to explain why she called the cops to her landlord, she agreed, if only to get rid of him.

* * *

Back in Storybrooke, Regina was just waking up. At first, she thought she had just spent the night with Maleficent as she sometimes did, but as the fog of sleep lifted reality came crashing down. She turned her face into the dragon's hide once more, unwilling to face her life. Maleficent growled softly, an encouragement, but the brunette remained hidden. It was yet another time the sorceress desperately wished she were in her human form.

"I don't know what to do, Mal. He's my baby, and now he's gone. What if he never comes back?!"

The dragon couldn't answer, but was saved from trying as Regina's phone signaled an incoming call. She answered, doing her best to sound put-together.

"Hello, Graham? You found him? How? Where are they? I'll be there in fifteen minutes."

She hung up, staring at her phone for a few seconds as the situation sunk in. Her eyes darted to the dragon in front of her.

"He's back, Henry's back. They're at the mansion with his birth mother, the savior." She smiled at the sorceress, one of her rare happy smiles. "Soon we'll be together." She shook herself out of her daydreams. "I have to go! I'll see you soon, I promise!"

She rushed out of the cave, unaware that her life was about to change forever.

* * *

Emma Swan didn't leave Storybrooke like she originally promised Regina. Instead, she hung around and drove the aforementioned woman crazy. The brunette knew she needed the blonde to break the curse, but honestly! Henry had all but hit her with a brick and she still refused to believe. And now Henry spent more time with Emma than her.

It was almost as if _she_ was the birth mother instead of the adoptive one. But hopefully Emma would soon change her mind, especially if August Booth had anything to do with it. She had seen his wooden appendage, so she knew he was telling the truth. The clock was ticking, (literally, as time had begun to move again), and there wasn't much time left. She could feel the curse straining against the woman's presence, and every day it grew weaker.

Finally, months after Emma had come to town, something happened. Regina, desperate to either be rid of the woman or force her to believe, baked an apple turnover with a poisoned apple, the same that put Snow White into what was supposed to be eternal sleep. The plan was for Emma to eat it and for Henry to wake her up. Simple. But Henry, her sweet, determined son, ate it instead.

He went into a coma quickly, and Emma believed. She had to, the evidence was right in front of her. Unfortunately, Regina couldn't wake him, no matter how much she loved him. Only Emma could do that. They ventured to Mr. Gold, or Rumplestiltskin, for help.

After playing twenty questions and Regina almost strangling him, he gave them the answer they needed. True love, hidden as a fail safe. She was loath to trust him, especially since he said she could do nothing to help. But, as the blonde pointed out, what choice did they have?

"Where is this magic?" Emma asked.

"Tell me, Your Majesty, is our friend still in the basement?" he asked Regina instead.

Her anger grew as she realized what he had done. Somehow, some way, he had hidden the potion with Maleficent. She had never seen it on her visits, but perhaps that was because the dragon herself didn't know it was there.

"You twisted little imp! You hid it with her?!" she demanded, ready to skin him alive.

She had a bad feeling about the situation, her stomach churning unpleasantly. Something horrible was going to happen, she was sure of it, she just wasn't entirely sure what.

"No, not with her. _In_ her. I knew you couldn't resist bringing her over."

Regina saw red as he revealed what he had done. The potion was _inside_ Maleficent. No wonder she had never seen it. That meant to get it they would have to...No! She couldn't!

That wasn't fair! They were supposed to live happily after the curse broke, just the two of them and Henry, their happy ending. He knew, had to know, exactly what this would do to her, to slay her true love. He even implied he knew she was there the whole time, and that he had known she would be.

Regina had never hated someone quite so much as she hated Rumplestiltskin in that moment.

* * *

He gave them Charming's sword, and the ex-Queen had no choice but to lead Emma to the library, to the elevator that had caused her so many problems three decades ago. She took a deep breath as she revealed it. Emma didn't trust it, or her, but she had to be the one. Not only because Gold said so, but because Regina couldn't bear to watch. Emma didn't know that of course, and she never would.

As she sent the blonde down to where her love rested, anxious for her to return, a few tears slid down her cheeks.

She heard the roar as Maleficent chased the savior around the cave, half-hoping that Emma would somehow lose. But she knew her hope was empty. Emma _would_ win, it was her destiny. And as the last roar, broken as the dragon died, filled the air, Regina sobbed. She felt as though she'd been ripped in half, coated in acid, and roasted over a fire, all at the same time.

She fell to her knees, curling in on herself, and it was then that Gold, who she hadn't noticed following them, slipped in and tied her up. She didn't put up much of a fight, couldn't when she felt so empty inside. She watched through bleary eyes as he went over and operated the elevator, only coming back to her senses when he stole the true love potion. She began to make noise through her gag as Emma climbed out of the shaft. Emma soon freed her, but before they could track down the double-crosser the hospital called.

They raced to it, only to arrive too late. Henry was dead. Regina broke down. She had just lost her son and her true love in the span of an hour. She couldn't take it. So absorbed was she in her grief that she didn't notice the blonde kiss her son on the forehead.

But she did feel the curse break. She lifted her head just as Henry gasped for breath. She spared time only to tell him she loved him before running, the glares surrounding her proving the curse had been undone. She knew the danger she was in since the curse was broken. Her magic had yet to be restored, and without it she was defenseless. Forgetting about Rumplestiltskin, she ran to the mansion, locked herself inside Henry's room and sobbed.

She mourned her love, the second one she had lost in her life. Daniel might be an old wound, but it was still tender, and now there was Maleficent's death to deal with. She wasn't sure if she could soldier on this time. What did she have left? A son who hated her, a town who hated her?

There was nothing. At least, she thought there was nothing until she saw the purple rumbling cloud billowing through town. She smiled through her tears. Magic was back.

* * *

In the darkness, Regina crept back down to the mines. She hadn't been able to come as soon as she would have liked, not with the whole town out for blood, but she had finally made it. There was no dragon to greet her as she stepped through the doorway this time, only the inky black of night. She saw what she needed to see immediately. There, in the middle of the cave, was a scattering of ash.

A pained gasp leaving her mouth, she wandered over to the small pile. She fell to her knees in front of it, the only thing left of her love. At least with Daniel there had been a body. Tears began to stream down her face as she stared at Maleficent's remains.

"I-I know I let this happen," she began, hoping to explain why it had come to this, even if the woman wasn't there to hear her. "But I had to save Henry. He ate the apple turnover I made for Emma. I told you about it, remember? Anyway, he ate it instead, and I couldn't wake him.

Gold, he told us we needed a true love potion and that only Emma could harness its power. I didn't want to trust him but, Emma...I had no choice! I demanded the location and he asked about you. I knew then that something horrible was going to happen.

For clarification I asked if he had hidden it with you. He said he had hidden it inside you. I knew then you'd have to be slain, and I also knew I couldn't change Emma's mind. So I led her to the elevator and lowered her down. I'd be lying if I said I didn't cry.

I heard the fight, and I knew when she'd killed you. I felt it, a fiery pain surge throughout my soul. I collapsed. Gold must have been following us, because he came in and tied me up. Then he stole the potion. Before we could stop him the hospital called.

We raced there, but by the time we got there it was too late. Henry...he-he had died! The grief crushed me, and I didn't see Emma kiss his forehead. The curse broke, and Henry came back from the dead. I've been in the mansion for days, unable to emerge without fear of being attacked. I have my magic back, but I can't bring you back."

She bowed her head, sobbing silently. Her tears landed in the ashes, magic rippling around them. As expected, nothing happened except the bursts. No resurrection, no voice from beyond, nothing. After she had cried herself out, she rose and dusted herself off.

"Goodbye, my love," she whispered before leaving, never looking back.


	3. Finally Together

Two years passed before Regina saw Maleficent again. By that point she had all but given up on ever finding her happy ending. So many things had happened to discourage her. Cora dying, Greg and Tamara, Henry being kidnapped by Peter Pan, Pan's curse, Zelena, the Snow Queen, Robin leaving her for Marian, and now Cruella and Ursula were in town. She had only seen them once, but something about their demeanor made her wary.

The feeling only grew when Snow told her they were trying to resurrect Maleficent. She didn't think it would work, she had yet to find a magic that could bring back the dead. But it did, in a ritual of dark magic she heard about after everything was said and done. She was sleeping when the sensation woke her, a tingling, warm feeling in her heart and soul. She sat up, drawing in a breath, and with it strength, contentment, and magic.

Her soul once again felt whole, though the familiar separation anxiety was beginning to take root. Her phone rang soon after, and after glaring at the screen she answered.

"Regina! Regina, it's Maleficent!"

"Do tell," she purred, enjoying the other woman's anxiety perhaps a bit too much, but after all, they did cause the dragon to miscarry her child.

"Ursula and Cruella took our blood and resurrected her! They're on their way up to the town!"

"Did they seem in the mood to hurt anyone?"

"Well, no, but-"

"Then I think this little matter can wait until the morning, don't you dear?" Regina asked as she felt the gathering of magic downstairs.

"Reg-" was all Snow got out before Regina ended the call.

And just in time, too. Footsteps sounded on the stairs, not heavy by any means, but familiar. Magic crackled through the air as the person ascended, swirls of it invading the ex-queen's mind and mimicking intoxication. The owner of the magic soon followed, and the brunette sucked in a breath.

"Maleficent," she breathed, almost afraid to believe it was real.

The blonde smirked at her, just as seductive as the last time Regina had seen her in human form.

"Regina," she greeted, almost a purr. Oh, how she missed the woman. "Have you missed me, dear?"

"Shut up and get over here," the brunette growled, voice dropping a few pitches.

The blonde, for once, obeyed, crossing the room in a few short strides to collide with the brunette in the bed. They kissed, their first in thirty years and the first with real love behind it. Purple and black magic swirled into the air, twining together and combing, linking the two together forever. Tongues battled, the organs mimicking the magic's movement in their fight for dominance. They broke apart for air before joining back together in a sweeter kiss, the magic settling down around them.

Separating for good, the two smiled at each other, genuine smiles full of love and adoration. Regina felt the pull of their bond, now stronger than ever, and tilted her head slightly to the right to allow proper access to her neck and collarbone. Maleficent grinned, happy now that she could finally mark her mate. She leaned forward, her hand automatically wrapping around her love's to help her bear the pain of the mark. Her teeth sank into soft flesh, drawing small droplets of blood.

Regina whimpered, squeezing the elder woman's hand tightly. Maleficent blew into the puncture wounds, her magic invading the other woman's body even more so than before. It created a small dragon shaped mark, almost like a tattoo, which would show the mortal world their bond. A deeper one was forged in the transfer of magic, an ancient one only visible to her kind. Releasing the brunette from her teeth, she smiled as she wiped away stray tears that had spilled from chocolate eyes before baring her own neck.

Regina smiled and leaned over, teeth sinking into soft ivory flesh. The dragon hissed, embracing the pain as one would a wedding band, as that was what the mark symbolized. Regina blew her own magic into the puncture wounds, curious to see what mark would form. She was unsurprised to see an apple with a crown surrounding it as her mark, the image a fitting one. The two sighed in contentment as the ancient ritual finished, their souls finally intertwining as one. Their marks glowed a rich purple, a mixture of their magic. Each one was no bigger than a nickel, but as meaningful as two diamond rings could ever be.

To Maleficent, they were married, or as close to the traditional definition as they could get, but in reality they were so much more. They were a part of the other, completely and totally until the end of time. The phrase 'two halves of a whole' were literal to the bonded. Maleficent's people had coined the phrase after the first marking, and Regina felt extremely privileged and honored to bear a dragon's mark.

The women sighed in tandem, their hearts and minds finally relaxing after three decades of separation. Regina coaxed Maleficent into laying back with her, wrapping the taller woman in her arms. Usually Regina would be the one cocooned next to the dragon, but it was still so surreal for her. The blonde allowed herself to be held, needing the security just as much as the brunette. With a lazy flick of the wrist, the ex-Queen vanished the dragon's dress, replacing it with a pair of pajamas.

Though confused at her new attire, Maleficent trusted Regina, so she didn't protest. The brunette yawned, her exhaustion of the past few weeks catching up to her. Maleficent, who had never needed much rest, repositioned them so that she was cradling Regina to her chest.

"Just like the first night," the brunette murmured, pressing a kiss to the warm skin of the dragon's neck.

Maleficent hummed in response, recalling how she'd curled around the other woman and held her to her chest, guarded her as she slept. At least now she was human, and could appreciate the body curled next to her. Regina fell asleep easily, more easily than she had in years. The blonde stayed awake through the night, simply holding the other woman, occasionally stroking her hair, and watching her sleep. She was beautiful when she slept, if it was possible to be more attractive than when she was awake.

When Regina woke the next morning, she hesitated to open her eyes. She feared that the night before had been a dream, and she wanted to revel in it a little longer. But then she felt the pair of arms around her, heard a heartbeat in her ear. Holding her breath and daring not to hope, she opened her eyes and was met with Maleficent's blue ones. She let out a sigh before reaching up and stroking the older woman's face.

"It wasn't a dream," she breathed, face blossoming with a smile.

"No, it wasn't a dream," the blonde responded, leaning down and kissing the woman good morning.

"Mmm, I could get used to that," Regina sighed as they parted.

"Good, because I plan on doing it for the rest of our lives."

Regina ignored the pang of agony at the thought that the dragon would live much longer than her. She still had a long life left, best to enjoy it while she could.

"Why, and more importantly _how_, did Cruella and Ursula bring you back?" the ex-Queen asked, knowing the question had to be addressed eventually.

"It's a very old and very dark spell," Maleficent sighed, pulling away from the other woman. "It feeds on anger, vengeance, and the pain of others. Blood from those who wronged me most, dripped into my ashes, set in motion the magic required to resurrect me."

"Snow and Charming," Regina breathed.

"Yes."

She waved her hand and a small rattle appeared. She shook it, a faraway look in her eyes. Because of Snow and Charming, Maleficent lost her child before she even knew it. The blonde traced a hand across her abdomen unconsciously, wincing as her hand grazed the scar. A simple sword thrust from the idiotic prince was all it took.

* * *

_Maleficent had approached the Charmings for help breaking Regina's curse. It hurt her that the woman she secretly loved had become so dark and obsessed with revenge. They were to journey to the Tree of Wisdom and ask it what to do. Everything was going according to plan, tense, but according to plan, when they came upon the guards. They refused to let them pass, and the Charmings, idiots they were, tried to talk their way through it. _

_She supposed it was the added hormones that made her act so rashly, but at the time her annoyance had gotten the better of her. While Ursula and Cruella argued with the heroes, she slipped of and shifted into her dragon form, wasting no time in barbecuing all three guards. She landed in front of the royals, finding some pleasure in their shocked expressions. _

_"Why did you do that? We could found another way, we could have made them listen!" Snow White raged, though she kept her distance._

_"Talking didn't seem to be doing any good, so I took care of the problem. We can cross now. Do you have a problem with that?" she asked to the amusement of the other two villains. _

_"Yes, you killed three innocent men!" Snow cried, gesturing to the piles of ash._

_She blamed her rising anger for her lack of caution. She stepped forward, towering over the brunette. Out of her line of sight, Charming gripped the hilt of his sword. Cruella and Ursula saw, and rushed forward, but he pushed them back easily._

_"Look, miss purity," Maleficent spat, not noticing the man approaching. "I want to break this curse just as much as you do, so I got things done. I don't care if you approve of my methods." Her staff began glowing, her magic seeping into it without her permission. _

_That was enough for the prince, who lunged forward, his sword piercing the dragon's stomach. Maleficent gasped in pain, her magic crackling through the air. She collapsed, blood beginning to seep out of the wound slowly, then alarmingly quick. Snow gasped, shoving her husband out of the way to get to the sorceress. She pressed her hands over the wound, hoping to slow the blood flow._

_"Snow, what are you doing?" Charming asked._

_"Saving a woman," she answered, pressing harder on the sorceress' stomach._

_She knew what her husband had just done, and felt the guilt keenly in her own stomach. She'd be lucky to save Maleficent. As for the baby...they'd be lucky if there was anything left. She worked quickly, ripping strips from her dress and bandaging the wound. Once covered, she turned to the other two villains behind her._

_"Can either one of you heal her?" she asked._

_"I can try," Ursula said, though her magic was severely limited without her voice._

_She stepped up beside the injured woman, chanting a healing spell under her breath, urging what little magic she had left into the wound. The blood gradually stopped pouring, and the skin began to close. It was somewhat disturbing to watch, the skin pulling back together and closing. Maleficent's breathing began to ease from quick pants to slow breathing, albeit labored. It wasn't until the wound was completely closed, angry red scar staining the pale skin, that the sorceress gripped Snow's hand._

_"My child," she gasped, to the shock of everyone._

_Had she not been hazy with pain, she would have realized the blood beginning to seep from between her legs._

_"Maleficent," Snow began, unsure how to tell her it was dead._

_"No, be quiet, I already know," she said as clarity gradually came back to her._

_"I'm so sorry," the brunette said, laying a hand atop the sorceress'._

_Maleficent threw it off, summoning her staff and forcing herself to stand. She leaned heavily on the wood, but managed to stay upright. A hand wave repaired her dress, save for the blood still seeping into it. _

_"You," she growled, pointing at Charming, "you killed my child."_

_"Well if you hadn't been attacking my wife!" he countered, unwilling to admit what he had just done._

_"I wasn't attacking her, if I had she would be dead!" she spat back._

_"You imbecile!" Cruella spat as she rushed to steady the angry woman. "If you didn't always resort to swinging your sword this wouldn't have happened!" Maleficent cried out as she began cramping, her blood streaming down her legs. Cruella tightened her grip, easing her into taking a few steps toward the side of the path. "We need that tent now."_

_Snow quickly unstrapped it from her pack and handed it to her. The two royals watched as Ursula and Cruella helped the dragon into the woods to finish her miscarriage._

* * *

Regina knew what she was thinking of, and the pain in her gaze caused her to stroke her arm, breaking her trance. Maleficent met her gaze with watery eyes, but she gave a small smile.

"Don't worry," she said, "I'm all right."

But the brunette knew it would never be 'all right'. She desperately wanted to distract the blonde, since it was her questions that had brought up the memory.

"Hey," she said, keeping her hand on the other woman's arm, "you never told me why they brought you back."

"The imp desires our help to get the villains happy endings. He thinks by bringing me back he can have someone to control the other two and turn my pain against the Charmings." She looked at Regina. "What he doesn't know is that I've already found my happy ending."

They kissed, love and pain mixing together.

"Now what about our son? I haven't seen him since he was an infant you know."

Regina smiled, glad to have changed the subject.

"He's with Emma. It's her weekend with him." The blonde nodded, seeming to accept that he spent time with the savior. "Let's get up and have breakfast, then I'll take you to meet him."

And just like that, her life fell into place. She had everything she'd ever wanted. A son, friends, Maleficent, and magic. The only way things could improve would be for them to have a child of their own, but that was a discussion for another day. She glanced at the blonde as she dressed, feeling her heart soar. Maleficent, catching her eye, smirked back.

This was home.


End file.
